We conclude WCW Week by jumping three years further into the timeline, to April 11th, 1999, just under two months after I was born. By this point in history, the company is in freefall, with the end of Goldberg's streak, the infamous Fingerpoke of Doom, Mick Foley's WWF title win and various creative mishaps leading to Vince McMahon taking complete control in the Monday Night War. And despite many attempted reboots and overhauls, both on and off screen, WCW would never legitimately challenge the WWF again, as the war became a decimation. In spite of being apart of this awful period in the company's history, Spring Stampede '99 is considered to be a high point for WCW, probably the last truly great show in WCW's catalog. Let's take a look at what the company had to offer on this night.
- We've got another cruiserweight opener here, as Juventud Guerrera takes on the recently debuted Blitzkrieg. I'll admit to knowing almost nothing about Blitzkrieg, and had to do some research on him before watching this show, and I'll also admit to being extremely impressed by what he had to offer. This match was outstanding, with Blitzkrieg as the star, hitting a couple extremely impressive maneuvers, including a springboard moonsault to the floor. Juventud takes advantage of the young cruiserweight's inexperience, capitalizing to hit a picture perfect top rope Juvie Driver for the win in a great display. It's such a shame that Blitzkrieg didn't even manage to last a full year in the company and retired shortly after leaving, he flashed tons of potential, and could've easily been a bigger star with more character work.
- It's a very bizarre sight to see The Sandman in WCW, as he goes by his longtime nickname Hak, and faces Bam Bam Bigelow, another ECW alum, in a hardcore match. I didn't really know what to expect out of these two guys, especially in WCW, were this style of wrestling always struggled to be presented properly. This clash was pretty entertaining though, especially with some of the spots they pulled off, including Hak diving off a station wagon to put Bigelow though a table, and later being put through one himself with the Greetings from Asbury Park. These two veterans didn't do much in terms of telling a story or anything, but it's a fun plunder match to nicely diversify the card.
- We've got more Extreme representation in the next match, as former ECW Triple Crown winner Mikey Whipwreck takes on Scotty Riggs. This match was a last minute addition to the card, and it shows, as the Tacoma crowd is very uninterested in the frankly pedestrian affair. Riggs is very dull in the ring, and his narcissistic character draws absolutely no heat, while the WCW fans don't seem to know what to make of Whipwreck. Scotty wins after seven minutes, and this match is best left forgotten.
- This next match could definitely be a bit of an upgrade, as Konnan faces Disco Inferno. K-Dogg has done a lot to shift his character over the last three years, including joining the NWO, while Disco is pretty much identical to what he was in '96. Unfortunately, the most I can remember from this match is just restholds, as it definitely lacks a lot of the intensity of Disco and Malenko from Bash at the Beach. Konnan at least looks good, and finishes Disco off with a stunner, because WCW is nothing if not petty.
- Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you're ready for this next contest, because unmasked Rey Mysterio is in the building. It's such a weird sight, and really loses him so much of his distinct persona, as he just looks like a normal guy on the roster now. The good news is that losing the mask didn't rob Rey of his wrestling ability, as he and partner Billy Kidman put on what is likely the match of the night for the cruiserweight title. Unfortunately, Tacoma doesn't really care, only popping when Kidman makes attempts to look for the Shooting Star Press. The action is all over the place and executed perfectly, including Kidman's diving Shooting Star off the apron to the floor and Rey's array to top rope bulldogs and guillotine legdrop. After fifteen enthralling minutes, Rey is able to catch Kidman on the top rope and hit the Frankensteiner for the victory, a great match that could've been so much more in front of a hot crowd.
- Let's keep the momentum train rolling, as Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko of the Four Horseman take on Raven and Perry Saturn. From the start, Tacoma is ravenous for this match, and it was awesome to see how over Saturn in particular was, as he's always been one of my personal favorites. The action is intense and riveting, made so much better by just how great of heels Benoit, Malenko and manager Arn Anderson are, as the heat segment of the match is so much better than most standard tag team affairs. I did feel like some of the weapon elements of the match were a little unnecessary, especially Saturn's dive through a table, a great spot but one that felt completely out of place. But the finish is absolutely brutal, as Benoit hit a diving headbutt onto a chair placed on the back of Raven's head, a ridiculously unsafe bump that had me cringing, especially knowing the state of Benoit's brain later in his life. It looked amazing though, so I'll give them that, probably the most emphatic finish to any match all night. Big thumps up to this match, it's worth watching this show for this one alone.
- The vacant US title is on the line, as long-time feud partners Booker T and Scott Steiner face off for the strap. The opening minutes are all shtick, as Scott works his arrogant heel persona for all it's worth, wandering all over ringside and jawing with fans. Big Poppa Pump continues to draw heat for pretty much the entire match, leaving Booker feeling very secondary. To his credit, Booker does get the crowd on his side with some of his great athleticism, hitting a series of kicks. But this match is clearly designed to put Scott over as one of the biggest threats on the roster, and he uses a foreign object to put Booker down for three. Not a bad match, but I feel like both men could accomplish a bit more with a more evenly booked contest.
- It's a return bout from Starrcade, as Goldberg looks for revenge against Kevin Nash. Of course, it was Nash who infamously ended Goldberg's lengthy undefeated streak thanks to Scott Hall and the cattle prod, one of the worst booking decisions in pro wrestling history. This match is supposed to get Goldberg's heat back, but maybe doesn't do a great job at that, as for whatever reason, Nash gets a lot of offense in early. Goldberg eventually does rally to fight off Lex Luger and Miss Elizabeth, before putting Big Sexy down for three with the Jackhammer, but it's clear he's not the star he used to be. If only Kevin Owens or Bray Wyatt was active in '99, then Goldberg could truly embrace his main event potential.
- Main event time, as the WCW title is on the line in a fatal four way match, with champion Ric Flair defending against Hollywood Hulk Hogan, Diamond Dallas Page and Sting. The opening minutes are pretty fun, with all four men trading offense on each other, giving an opportunity to watch four of the biggest stars in the company strut their stuff. But a legit(?) injury to Hogan's knee sees him taken to the back, leaving the other three men to piece together a compelling contest. It's fine, though Flair and Sting's back and forth just feels ancient by this point, as it's obvious that both really aren't into this anymore. That leaves DDP to win over the crowd, and he does a good job, though it's obvious that Tacoma doesn't really believe he's walking out champion, as he's failed at capturing the top prize a lot in the past. Out of nowhere, guest referee Randy Savage just randomly decides to hit the elbow drop on Flair, an odd booking decision that perplexes just about everyone. That doesn't even end the match, as Ric gets back moments later for some reason, just to be put back down with a Diamond Cutter, and that's the finish. Congrats to DDP, I guess, but what the f*** just happened here? It's such a shame that Page's big moment, one that he's deserved for so long, just feels like a complete afterthought in the complete chaos of the closing moments of this main event. It's truly indicative of why this company would meet it's demise just two years later, as what's supposed to be a crowning moment for one of their top faces is met with silence and confusion.
6/10
I wanted this show to impress me so badly, to prove that even in it's waning days, WCW could still deliver at that top level. For the most part, they did, with the two cruiserweight matches, the tag match and even the hardcore match all being highlights. But it's booking that lets this show down, especially around the top faces that should be carrying WCW into the future. DDP, Goldberg and Booker T should have been the three men everything was built around, and all three endured tons of setbacks throughout the late '90s and early 2000s. Their booking on this show just exemplifies why WCW went the way it did, and it sucks to watch a great company die right in front of you. Man, this sucks, but I can say that I really enjoyed myself this week. For all their flaws, I'd absolutely watch all three of these shows before anything WWE has to offer these days, and I consider that to be the ultimate triumph. Even after all these years, WCW can still kick the Federation's a** whenever they want.
Well, we've seen one alternative to the WWF in the late 90s, let's take a look at the other one. Next week on Henry's Pay-Per-View Reviews, I review ECW Barely Legal and Heatwave 1998.
- We've got another cruiserweight opener here, as Juventud Guerrera takes on the recently debuted Blitzkrieg. I'll admit to knowing almost nothing about Blitzkrieg, and had to do some research on him before watching this show, and I'll also admit to being extremely impressed by what he had to offer. This match was outstanding, with Blitzkrieg as the star, hitting a couple extremely impressive maneuvers, including a springboard moonsault to the floor. Juventud takes advantage of the young cruiserweight's inexperience, capitalizing to hit a picture perfect top rope Juvie Driver for the win in a great display. It's such a shame that Blitzkrieg didn't even manage to last a full year in the company and retired shortly after leaving, he flashed tons of potential, and could've easily been a bigger star with more character work.
- It's a very bizarre sight to see The Sandman in WCW, as he goes by his longtime nickname Hak, and faces Bam Bam Bigelow, another ECW alum, in a hardcore match. I didn't really know what to expect out of these two guys, especially in WCW, were this style of wrestling always struggled to be presented properly. This clash was pretty entertaining though, especially with some of the spots they pulled off, including Hak diving off a station wagon to put Bigelow though a table, and later being put through one himself with the Greetings from Asbury Park. These two veterans didn't do much in terms of telling a story or anything, but it's a fun plunder match to nicely diversify the card.
- We've got more Extreme representation in the next match, as former ECW Triple Crown winner Mikey Whipwreck takes on Scotty Riggs. This match was a last minute addition to the card, and it shows, as the Tacoma crowd is very uninterested in the frankly pedestrian affair. Riggs is very dull in the ring, and his narcissistic character draws absolutely no heat, while the WCW fans don't seem to know what to make of Whipwreck. Scotty wins after seven minutes, and this match is best left forgotten.
- This next match could definitely be a bit of an upgrade, as Konnan faces Disco Inferno. K-Dogg has done a lot to shift his character over the last three years, including joining the NWO, while Disco is pretty much identical to what he was in '96. Unfortunately, the most I can remember from this match is just restholds, as it definitely lacks a lot of the intensity of Disco and Malenko from Bash at the Beach. Konnan at least looks good, and finishes Disco off with a stunner, because WCW is nothing if not petty.
- Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you're ready for this next contest, because unmasked Rey Mysterio is in the building. It's such a weird sight, and really loses him so much of his distinct persona, as he just looks like a normal guy on the roster now. The good news is that losing the mask didn't rob Rey of his wrestling ability, as he and partner Billy Kidman put on what is likely the match of the night for the cruiserweight title. Unfortunately, Tacoma doesn't really care, only popping when Kidman makes attempts to look for the Shooting Star Press. The action is all over the place and executed perfectly, including Kidman's diving Shooting Star off the apron to the floor and Rey's array to top rope bulldogs and guillotine legdrop. After fifteen enthralling minutes, Rey is able to catch Kidman on the top rope and hit the Frankensteiner for the victory, a great match that could've been so much more in front of a hot crowd.
- Let's keep the momentum train rolling, as Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko of the Four Horseman take on Raven and Perry Saturn. From the start, Tacoma is ravenous for this match, and it was awesome to see how over Saturn in particular was, as he's always been one of my personal favorites. The action is intense and riveting, made so much better by just how great of heels Benoit, Malenko and manager Arn Anderson are, as the heat segment of the match is so much better than most standard tag team affairs. I did feel like some of the weapon elements of the match were a little unnecessary, especially Saturn's dive through a table, a great spot but one that felt completely out of place. But the finish is absolutely brutal, as Benoit hit a diving headbutt onto a chair placed on the back of Raven's head, a ridiculously unsafe bump that had me cringing, especially knowing the state of Benoit's brain later in his life. It looked amazing though, so I'll give them that, probably the most emphatic finish to any match all night. Big thumps up to this match, it's worth watching this show for this one alone.
- The vacant US title is on the line, as long-time feud partners Booker T and Scott Steiner face off for the strap. The opening minutes are all shtick, as Scott works his arrogant heel persona for all it's worth, wandering all over ringside and jawing with fans. Big Poppa Pump continues to draw heat for pretty much the entire match, leaving Booker feeling very secondary. To his credit, Booker does get the crowd on his side with some of his great athleticism, hitting a series of kicks. But this match is clearly designed to put Scott over as one of the biggest threats on the roster, and he uses a foreign object to put Booker down for three. Not a bad match, but I feel like both men could accomplish a bit more with a more evenly booked contest.
- It's a return bout from Starrcade, as Goldberg looks for revenge against Kevin Nash. Of course, it was Nash who infamously ended Goldberg's lengthy undefeated streak thanks to Scott Hall and the cattle prod, one of the worst booking decisions in pro wrestling history. This match is supposed to get Goldberg's heat back, but maybe doesn't do a great job at that, as for whatever reason, Nash gets a lot of offense in early. Goldberg eventually does rally to fight off Lex Luger and Miss Elizabeth, before putting Big Sexy down for three with the Jackhammer, but it's clear he's not the star he used to be. If only Kevin Owens or Bray Wyatt was active in '99, then Goldberg could truly embrace his main event potential.
- Main event time, as the WCW title is on the line in a fatal four way match, with champion Ric Flair defending against Hollywood Hulk Hogan, Diamond Dallas Page and Sting. The opening minutes are pretty fun, with all four men trading offense on each other, giving an opportunity to watch four of the biggest stars in the company strut their stuff. But a legit(?) injury to Hogan's knee sees him taken to the back, leaving the other three men to piece together a compelling contest. It's fine, though Flair and Sting's back and forth just feels ancient by this point, as it's obvious that both really aren't into this anymore. That leaves DDP to win over the crowd, and he does a good job, though it's obvious that Tacoma doesn't really believe he's walking out champion, as he's failed at capturing the top prize a lot in the past. Out of nowhere, guest referee Randy Savage just randomly decides to hit the elbow drop on Flair, an odd booking decision that perplexes just about everyone. That doesn't even end the match, as Ric gets back moments later for some reason, just to be put back down with a Diamond Cutter, and that's the finish. Congrats to DDP, I guess, but what the f*** just happened here? It's such a shame that Page's big moment, one that he's deserved for so long, just feels like a complete afterthought in the complete chaos of the closing moments of this main event. It's truly indicative of why this company would meet it's demise just two years later, as what's supposed to be a crowning moment for one of their top faces is met with silence and confusion.
6/10
I wanted this show to impress me so badly, to prove that even in it's waning days, WCW could still deliver at that top level. For the most part, they did, with the two cruiserweight matches, the tag match and even the hardcore match all being highlights. But it's booking that lets this show down, especially around the top faces that should be carrying WCW into the future. DDP, Goldberg and Booker T should have been the three men everything was built around, and all three endured tons of setbacks throughout the late '90s and early 2000s. Their booking on this show just exemplifies why WCW went the way it did, and it sucks to watch a great company die right in front of you. Man, this sucks, but I can say that I really enjoyed myself this week. For all their flaws, I'd absolutely watch all three of these shows before anything WWE has to offer these days, and I consider that to be the ultimate triumph. Even after all these years, WCW can still kick the Federation's a** whenever they want.
Well, we've seen one alternative to the WWF in the late 90s, let's take a look at the other one. Next week on Henry's Pay-Per-View Reviews, I review ECW Barely Legal and Heatwave 1998.
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